The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1887-02-24

| DeCduSey US TUT lCTleu WIN OhO dCCuIIi
1t was impossible TO raise such an
amount in America. NoW zoe raise
twO-thirds Of all Tie cotton groocR IN the
sgorld.
T Presenting some figure the Gov
ernor declared the agricultural pro-
ducts OF this country amounted TO
over S619, 100000, s4 per cent. of
which is due directly to the farmer,
and only l6 per cent. on the products
of farm machinery. There we're
1000, 900 farms in the United States,
covering an area of actual farm lands
of over 300, ,0Oo, 900 miles, and yalned
at $10,oo0,o00. Why, he SAID, the
failure Of two successive crops in the
United States would produce panic
throughout the civilized world.
The Governor then presented facts
aud figures which were contrary to
usual expectation of the Northern
visitor, aud closed with talk to the
ladies. He approached the subject
geatly, He welcomed specially the
ladies' TO the great onward march Of
Louisiana's prosperity. He said /:
"You have been with US in our dark
est days /; you administered TO the
wants Of our soldiers you sent them
to the field you brought them back,
and now peace has laid her gentle
mantle over all, it remains Your loving
duty to weave the garland that is to
deck our brow" [Applause.
| At the conclusion Of Gov. S. d.
McEnery's address, the Hon. George
II. Wells was introduced and deliv-
cred, on behalf of the citizens of Lake
Charles, the following
ADDRESS OF WELCOME,
which was received with enthusiastic
cheers from the vast assemblage
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the Conven-
ton:
While the citizens of Lake Charles
are gratified to know they were in,
inclnded in that expression of Louisi-
ana's welcome to you which has just
been SO heartily and so happily voiced
by the Chief Magistrate of our State,
they desire, especially because you
will be their guests during tho ses
sions of the convention, that | will
convey to you their assurances that
they are indeed glad to greet you on
an occasion lraught with so much in
terest to'them, to their parish and to
their State, and that in no merely |
formal expression Of courtesy to visi,
tors, but in all earnestness and sin.
cerity, you are welcome to the Lake
City of Louisiana.
Those OF you, and we are glad there
are so many, who have come to us
from regions of ice and snow TO
whom this is the coldest month in the
year; who recognize the accuracy of
LoHgfellow's description of an after
noon ID February
''The day is ending,
The night is descending,
The marsh Is frozen,
The river dead
Through clouds like ashes
The red sun flashes
-r. On village windows
That glimmer red"
can hear, fancy, another voice than
mine bidding you welcome to Lake
Charles, You have come here on
mission Of peace and good will to
men, You have como to erect an
altar to Nature while
Looking tshFousa Nature up to Natures
and Nature, who has waited 80 long
among these uatilled prairies aud for
ests for men to come and minister at
her altars, has heard the sound Of
your coming feet, has aFrayed herself
In her fairest robes to greet you at
your coming, and in the pink and
snowy effloreseence Of the peach aud
pear and plum, and in the perfume
and beauty Of the heliotFope, tho VIC,
let aud the rose, she bids you welcome
to Lake Charles,
We greet you all, delegates and
visitors, in the same spirit OF welcome.
Whether yon come from the orange
groves Of Florida, the grain fields Of
Iowa, the fruit, bearing hills Of Missis-
sippi, the cotton, sugar aud rice plan
tstions Of Louisiana, or from whatever
other portions of our common coun-
try, you are our brethren, and in our
homes We ask that you will feel at
home.
| am glad that tho Colored State
Fair Association Of Louisiana has sent
delegates to the convention. They are
peculiarly welcome, Surely il any one
has right to be hoard upon the floor
of an agricultural convention in
Southern State, il is the representatives
Of that race which made the South
rich in the agricultural development
Of its cotton, sugar, rice and tobacco
fields, and which IN so doing bore for
three quarters Of a century the burden
aud heat Of the day,
We are especially pleased that
our GOVERNOR whose heart has always |
been so generous 70 prompt, his brain |
so fertile TO conceive, aud his hNnd 30
ready TO execute, measures for the
material benefit 81 Louisiapa yielded
so readily to the Ieqeests for this
convention, and thereby gave w and
You, not only the Immense advantages
which aow from public discussions Of
those Important and practical qnes-
tions which win come before The con,
yention, but the rare privilege aud
great pleasure Of personal aequatnt-
ance with each other Say what you
l Will about other sources ot
information, nothing enables man
to know his fellow man, and the
land no lives III, 50 thoroughly a 4
personal acquaintance ana personal
Wow, Far want Of ihat acquaintance
I ana that view, from ia earliest settle